Von der Wiedervereinigung und ihrem Nachfrageboom gingen die unterschiedlichsten Impulse auf die westdeutsche Wirtschaft aus. In welchem Ausmas profitierten hiervon die verschiedenen Wirtschaftssektoren? Konnten die anfanglichen positiven Beschaftigungseffekte insgesamt aufrechterhalten werden?

During the past ten years, Germany has gone a painful downward slope from an economy ahead of most of its European partners in terms of growth to the lowlands of EU’s weak economies league. Not coincidentally, unification has been at the beginning of the decline. Instead of generating an economic powerhouse, Germany does not seem to cope with the unification challenges. This paper argues that fundamental constructional flaws in the design of German economic unification which we label the new German transfer problem explain most of the current problems. Based on the analysis we propose a policy shift towards a more active economic policy and argue that the recent EU enlargement process may benefit from the German experiences in that the worst mistakes may be avoided.

Additional excerpts

https://www.boeckler.de/pdf/v_2005_10_28_mueller_busch.pdf

Impulse der Wiedervereinigung auf die westdeutsche Wirtschaft

The new German transfer problem

The former German chancellor Helmut Schmidt holds that despite the huge trans fers from West to East Germany the East German economy does not take oﬀ as it was widely expected. We
 argue it is not despite these transfers but because of them. Building on the common features of the extension of the Federal Republic of Ger many in 1990 and the enlargement of the EU, we
 argue that the German uniﬁcation experience holds some lessons to the beneﬁt of both, the EU-15 and the accession countries.

Despite or Because? – Some Lessons of German Unification for EU Enlargement; KOF Working Papers

The former German chancellor Helmut Schmidt holds that despite the huge transfers from West to East Germany the East German economy does not take ofi as it was widely expected. We argue it is not despite these transfers but because of them and thus shed light on a completely neglected aspect of East Germany’s transition process. Building on the common features of the extension of the Federal Republic of Germany in 1990 and the enlargement of the EU, we argue that the German uniflcation experience holds some lessons to the beneflt of both, the EU-15 and the accession countries.

https://www.econstor.eu/bitstream/10419/50859/1/394278925.pdf

Despite or Because? – Some Lessons of German Unification for EU Enlargement

Arbeitspapiere/ Working Papers

https://www.econstor.eu/bitstream/10419/40112/1/261185721.pdf

Impulse der Wiedervereinigung auf die westdeutsche Wirtschaft

Citations

The new German transfer problem

Despite or Because? – Some Lessons of German Unification for EU Enlargement; KOF Working Papers

Despite or Because? – Some Lessons of German Unification for EU Enlargement

Arbeitspapiere/ Working Papers